Are they really all that? Surely all manufacturers would want to make their bikes the best running, most efficient that they can without the need for outside influences? What difference has a PC made to your bike? Or is it a placebo? :tongue:
I wouldn't use one. But manufacturers fuel bikes to suit the strict emissions laws which more often than not does not produce the best running machine, in both smoothness or peak power. Re-mapping the stock ecu....now that's the future.
I kind of agree, however few dynos can map the many many OEM ECUs so Dynojet and the likes are a nice interface for them to be able to correct AFR. At the end of the day if you don't want to travel to cat man do to get someone like CJS etc to map your stock ECU then you will need a PCV. In short of you want access to the many dyno centres around the UK and you want to correct the AFR of your bike you will need some form of mapping device.
I've have one and find it very useful. I have had 2 maps made for it on a dyno, one to smooth out the running on stock pipes and filter which is a big improvement (mostly becuase of the emissions laws as already mentioned) and the other so that she runs well on open pipes and airbox.
I'd still rather have the map done on the stock Ecu, even if I had to travel further. I've had power commanders on Jil4's and their reliability is questionable at best.....why add more dodgy electronics to an Italian bike that already has dodgy electrics/electronics, a recipe for heartache for my money. You could still have two maps made for the stock ecu, and change them over with a laptop at home as with the PC.
Sounds fair enough, when I was looking at the options there was some debate over whether the early ecu's could be remapped, which pointed me down the PC route. But if you can get the maps made and load then yourself then the stock ecu does sound like a good option.
If you've modified the bike (removed cat, race pipes, open airbox etc) then the OEM fuelling map isn't right, the PC does allow you to sort that out easily. Also, the OEM fuelling map has to allow for a wide range of altitudes (it must run at sea level, or at 4000 feet above sea level) and assume poor quality fuel (in Africa or South America somewhere) and a poorly serviced bike, and still pass emissions tests, so the fuelling is set very conservative. The PC allows you to customise the fuelling to suit local conditions.
But you can do that with the stock ecu. Either way, to do it properly you need a dyno. Ok there's more dyno places to set the PC up, but that's because they make money from convincing people they need a PC and flogging them one. The more people insist on the stock ecu set up the more dyno centres will need to offer the service. Dyno time £'s+ PC £'s or just dyno time £'s.....it's a no brainer, but the choice is yours.
I have PCV and Autotune on one of my bikes and it's ace I have PCV on two others no problems, as a dealer for DynoJet UK I have to say the number I've sold I have not had any fail however I do know people who have had problems with them.. Its just a tool to do a job, Anth problem is for me to visit the likes of Chris it's a whole day out if not more! As much as I love the features and number of TPS positions and MUCH more of the stock ECU it's just not practical for me to map even my own. (by means of visiting CJS) Shame Ducatis AFR is so bad from stock even with the DP Spec ECU I feel they could do more to improve fueling. I will say the CJS has done some fantastic work with reprogramming and mapping the stock ECU, I take my hat off to him his customers are VERY pleased with the work he has done. Be nice if more dealers could offer such a good service to there customers NOT that I would want to take work away from Chris, only problem with Chis is there is only ONE of him....lol Who mapped your bike Anth?
My 748 now has a few aftermarket bits on it and I elected to go for a PC3 as it evolved so that it was easy to change the fuel map (and not that expensive) when I made alterations to the bike, also I could make adjustments myself and immediately road test them. After a few years I recently decided to get the eprom remapped by Chris and the pc3 is now on ebay. In terms of power and torque the results are within 1 bhp and 1 ft/lb of each other (according to the dyno traces). However the output and torque on both are substantially up from the original set up using just a JHP eprom supplied with the cans (+11bhp and +12lb/ft at the rear wheel), the crank output is now 10bhp up on the factory spec for my bike and into 748r territory. With the eprom mapped the bike has a much cleaner pick up, snatches less at low revs and seems to have more mid range and overtaking grunt than with the pc3, it also holds high speeds without stressing so much. Curiously it sounds more throaty, more like a 916. Fuel consumption was 15 miles per tank better with the PC3 but with the mapped eprom consumption is back to where it was with just the jhp chip (115miles to the warning light) although this may be simply down to my driving quicker because the bike rides much better now as the engine is so much smoother. In terms of price the PC3 was bought and set up for around £300, the eprom remap was just over £400. I would say the eprom is easily the better of the two options if you are settled on airbox/exhaust and you have a convenient enthusiastic and skilled dyno operator to reprogram the eprom. It takes a full day but is definitely worth the extra £ because it will feel so much better.
Sounds good, and the key word is Skilled Dyno opp! It's all a waist of time unless the dyno opp is good at his game, that's where CJS is one of few as not only is he skilled with the dyno but he has a full understanding of the big picture! There are many many so called dyno opps that have not got a clue! some I've seen don't even understand the PAIR system! Shocking... I can rename the phase just coz you have a chisel does not make you a carpenter - Just coz you have a dyno does not mean you can map a bike!
+1 for PCV, had one on for 3 years and never missed a beat Dynotech near Tadley, can't recommend them enough
